The cost of college in Maryland — and what it pays back
Across the 52 Maryland institutions we profile, the median net price — what students actually pay after grants and scholarships — is $17,578/yr, $676 above the $16,902 national median. Graduates earn a median $47,623 ten years after entry (above the $43,549 national median), and 25 of the 52 schools clear their full cost on institution-wide earnings. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
How Maryland's 52 colleges split by ROI verdict
Verdicts: payback under 5 / 10 / 20 / over 20 years (or none).
| College | Net price/yr | Earnings 10y | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Maryland-College Park | $15,678 | $82,860 | 1.8 yrs |
| Johns Hopkins University | $18,809 | $87,555 | 1.9 yrs |
| Capitol Technology University | $22,102 | $85,035 | 2.4 yrs |
| Ner Israel Rabbinical College | $13,572 | $66,330 | 3 yrs |
| University of Maryland-Baltimore County | $16,467 | $69,960 | 3 yrs |
| College | Net price/yr | Earnings 10y | Payback |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carroll Community College | $2,725 | $44,349 | no payback |
| Chesapeake College | $5,106 | $36,301 | no payback |
| Hagerstown Community College | $6,835 | $41,615 | no payback |
| Montgomery College | $8,027 | $50,159 | 8.9 yrs |
| North American Trade Schools | $8,597 | $39,756 | no payback |
How many Maryland colleges actually pay for themselves?
25 of 52 — 48% of the Maryland institutions we profile clear their full net cost on institution-wide earnings above the $48,360 high-school baseline. The rest need a high-paying major to pay off; the school average alone does not do it.
Do Maryland graduates out-earn the national median?
Maryland graduates report a median $47,623 ten years after entry, $4,074 above the $43,549 national median. Earnings track the local labour market and the mix of fields the state's colleges graduate, not the state border itself.